


Good, Bad, Neither

by ofthecloudsjpeg



Category: Fable 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Swearing, fable gang in 2020 where you at ?!?!, i have no idea what to tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:27:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23184001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofthecloudsjpeg/pseuds/ofthecloudsjpeg
Summary: Sparrow wasn’t a good person. She knew this from a very young age, surprisingly.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	Good, Bad, Neither

Sparrow wasn’t a good person. She knew this from a very young age, surprisingly. When her older sister Rose vehemently declined Arfur’s requests in exchange for money, she was shocked. It was money, stuff that they needed but didn’t have, why wouldn’t she say yes?

She asked her sister this, deep into a cold night, in a whisper between bedrolls. Rose was quiet for a moment, simply coming up with something to say, before she replied, “There’s good things, and there’s bad things in this world. Arfur wants us to do bad things, but we aren’t bad people. So I said no.”

Sparrow thinks she understands, so she simply nods and rolls over to go to sleep.

Later in the year, Sparrow follows her older sister’s lead when she decides to buy the silly music box. Yes, it’s cool _(yes, it calls to her, too)_ , but she wants Rose to have dinner tonight. _But_ she also wants Rose to be happy, so she shuts her mouth.

She takes a nice picture for the man, because nothing would be in it for her if she didn’t.

She punches and kicks and slaps the boy who was mean to the dog because, yes, he was mean to the dog, but also because he was mean to _Rose_ , and _no one’s_ mean to Rose.

She shoots the beetles because Rose hates beetles.

She gives the drink to the woman because Rose is giving her That Look.

She gives Derek the warrants instead of Arfur because Rose looks like she was going to cry when Arfur came up to them.

She gave Belinda the love letter, even though there was no guarantee of money because Sparrow knows that Rose loves love, and would rather starve than witness a crumbling relationship that was her doing.

She says nothing as Rose winds the music box up (she feels like she’s going to throw up), she says nothing when the guards come and take them to the castle (Rose is so _happy_ ), but oh, how she screams when Rose gets shot and dies right in front of her.

-

The only difference between her and Rose, she understands now, is that she’d do anything for Rose, and Rose would do anything for her, but she would do _anything_ for Rose.

  
  
  
  


She hated Theresa. She hated her wisdom, she hated her stories, she hated her eyes, her cloak, her riddle-infused advice, her everything.

She hated how she killed Rose. How she knew what that music box would hold. How she let her die.

She hated how she made an eleven year old girl stand by her side promising vengeance to the man who killed her sister.  
  
She hated how she said yes.

  
  
  
  


When she met Hannah, she didn’t think anything of her. She was a monk, she was the Pilgrim, she was simply a piece to the puzzle Theresa was slowly putting together. A means to take out the man who killed her sister.

Throughout the cave, Sparrow didn’t speak. Hannah did enough for the both of them. She was innocent, charming, and naive. She was hesitant about the life that was given to her. She was questioning her views. 

Sparrow wonders why she doesn’t anymore.

As soon as the monk came into the came as they were getting the final wells water, Sparrow’s stomach twisted.

Just like the music box.

As she runs for Hannah, Theresa’s voice echoes in her ear from earlier, _“We require a Hero, not a pacifist monk.”_

Her blood boils (as she thinks of Rose and the gunshot and the _blood--_ ) and she runs faster.

She doesn’t make it.

  
  
  
  


Sparrow sees Hannah break down even further at the memorial. Theresa transports in and speaks to her. Hannah takes her hand.

_Oh_ , Sparrow thinks, _she’s just like me._

  
  
  
  


The next time Sparrow sees Hammer, she doesn’t give her empty condolences. She simply says, “Be careful who you trust. It’s not always as simple as you think.” 

Whether or not she gives a pointed look to Theresa is their secret and their secret only.

  
  


-

  
  


When she meets Garth, she’s a prisoner disguised as a soldier for Lucien. Her worst nightmare come to life. Working for the man who killed the only important person in her life.

Garth reeks of power and wisdom, and everyone who has ever had power and wisdom has fucked her over three ways to Sunday. To say she’s unnerved and hesitant of him would be putting it lightly.

Over the years, his soft but commanding voice has been an anchor for her (she would have been driven mad by now), and he’s probably realized this. She doesn’t know whether to thank him or be frightened of him.

She does neither.

She likes to think that Rose is watching out for her, like a guardian angel. Rose used to talk about how their parents were their guardian angels. Maybe Rose and Garth are hers, too.

One day, the Commandant asks her to investigate a missing guard. 

_Finally_ , she thinks, _it’s time._

  
  
  
  


When Sparrow and Garth are seated in the ship on the way home, words are hardly spoken between them. They sit below the deck and focus on restoring their Will. It’s peaceful, the meditation. Garth understands the need for silence and companionship and she’s thankful for it.

(She tries not to think about Bob, or the prisoners who were starving, or the shock still tingling at her throat. 

She can’t. She knows Garth can’t either.)

As footsteps become louder above them, they stop and look at each other.

They’re terrified.

All they’ve known for ten bloody years is to obey. 

What will they do now?

  
  
  


(Before they step off of the ship, she turns to him and simply says, “Thank you,” her voice rough with years of disuse, “And… be careful.”)

  
  
  


She first sees her faithful friend and almost cries for the first time in years. He loves her just the same.

She tunes out Theresa as usual (some things really do never change), but startles at Garth’s voice, “Welcome me? You’re in my way, so please step aside.”

Sparrow snorts softly as she runs her fingers through her dog's fur. It doesn’t go unnoticed. She doesn’t care.

Theresa promises information at the Tomb of Heroes. She outstretches her hand. Garth looks to Sparrow, calculating Theresa’s intentions. Whatever he sees in Sparrow is good enough apparently, and he nods once to her before taking her hand. 

She’s left alone with her best friend.

  
  


-

  
  


When she meets Reaver, it takes everything in her power to not punch him so goddamn hard in the face he trembles the next time he sees her.

But she doesn’t. Because he’s a Hero. Whatever that means anymore.

(The only hero she’s ever known was Rose, and look where that got her.)

When she gets more famous (for _him_ ), he makes her run an errand for him. 

When she comes back, wrinkles around her eyes and _fucking furious_ , he steps back. Her heavy breathing, red face, and electricity bouncing all around her fists give him a good idea of how bad of a choice he made.

He sits in his chair, and with false bravado, explains how he’s going to turn her in to Lucien.

She grabs the knife from her boot, and in three large steps, she shoves it deep into his thigh.

“You’re an even bigger idiot than I thought if you think you’re handing me into anyone, _King of Thieves_.”

(She likes to think that even though it was violent and decidedly not good, Rose would’ve been proud of her.)

  
  
  
  


When Reaver complains about his leg during their journey through his passage, she almost wants to dig her knife into the other one. He sees this and makes an offhand comment on how he’s only really using his arms anyway.

She smiles.

  
  
  
  


(“You _stabbed_ him in the leg?” Hammer asks incredulously.

She nods, once and curtly.

They pause. Garth nods, “Good for you.”)

  
  
  
  


In the end, Reaver kills Lucien (the bastard leaves with Garth, knowing her rage towards him, the _coward_ ), her dog dies, and she has a choice to make.

After everything she’s been through, what will she choose to be? Selfish or selfless?

  
  
  
  
  


_Rose or everyone else?_

**Author's Note:**

> idk why i made this. i was replaying fable 2 after all these years and just... everything about this game is sublime.
> 
> i fuckin hate reaver if ya dont like it sorry
> 
> thanks for reading if you are lol and sorry if this is messy idk what it is but i'll fix it in the morning its 4am rn hhhh


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